This week’s must-see arts and cultural productions
Sun., June 19
MUSIC • IRL
Do you remember, the 19th night of Junetember? Travel back in time with Earth Wind & Fire tribute band Let’s Groove Tonight at Allegheny RiverTrail Park. Presented as part of the Rock the River summer concert series, the event invites everyone to “boogie on down” with a picnic blanket, a bottle of wine, and a few friends and family members. Guests can also enjoy food from Farmer x Baker and local food trucks. 6-8 p.m. 285 River Ave., Aspinwall. Free. alleghenyrivertrailpark.org/summer-concert-series
FAMILY • IRL
Fathers Day is for the birds, at least when it comes to brunch at the National Aviary. Dads and their families can enjoy cinnamon “Texas” toast or signature cocktails provided by chef Josef Karst and Atria’s Specialty Catering, all served in the Garden Room located at the rear of the building. Tickets also include admission to the Aviary, so after you’re done feasting, check out multiple species of birds, including penguins, as well as the resident sloth. 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 700 Arch St., North Side. $55 for adults, and $35 for youth 12 and under. aviary.org
Thu., June 16
LIT • HYBRID
Cave Canem returns in person to the City of Asylum’s Alphabet City venue with what the event website describes as “rousing performances that speak to issues of the day with emotion, with beauty, and with calls to action.” Every June since 2010, City of Asylum has hosted Cave Canem’s annual reading to coincide with the week-long Cave Canem Retreat. The evening will spotlight the poetry of retreat faculty francine j. harris, Evie Shockley, and Frank X. Walker. 7-8:30 p.m. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. Free. Registration required. cityofasylum.org
Fri., June 17
EVENT • IRL
The North Side will come alive with family fun, new art, and more when the Mattress Factory presents its SHRINE Opening Community Block Party. The event marks the opening of SHRINE, an exhibition of installation works at the museum’s Monterey Annex, presented in partnership with the arts collective and residency program Sibyls Shrine and curator Jessica Gaynelle Moss. Enjoy artmaking activities in the City of Asylum garden, a Mommas’ Market featuring local artists and vendors, a live DJ set from Yadirtydaughter, and food by Mommalicious and ShadoBeni. Guests can also view SHRINE for free during the event. 6-8 p.m. 1400 Monterey St., North Side. Free. mattress.org
Photo: Courtesy of John Burt Sanders/here, PittsburghSpontaneous Horizon at here, PittsburghART • IRL
See works by Pittsburgh-based painter John Burt Sanders when here, Pittsburgh presents the opening of his solo exhibition Spontaneous Horizon. The show will feature 11 new paintings reflecting Sanders’ style, described in a release as focusing “on the formal visual elements of color, texture, and composition to explore systems of order.” The latest collection sees Sanders’ abstract backgrounds “coalesce into more recognizable imagery, such as trees, a shoe, smokestacks, and a rocket launch,” and “engages directly with ideas of human destruction, intervention, and exploration, all while revealing a certain beauty in the excesses of man.” 6-8 p.m. Continues through July 23. 527 N. Taylor Ave., North Side. Free. gallery-here.com
OPERA • IRL
The Kelly Strayhorn Theater will present The Strange Child, a new opera by composer Julia Werntz and librettist Kim Adrian. Based on a fairytale by ETA Hoffman, the show is described on the KST website as a magical tale following two siblings who go up against a cruel tutor and mysterious sprite. The show will feature a cast of vocalists, including Robert Frankenberry and Eugene Perry. 7:30 p.m. 5530 Penn Ave., East Liberty. $25, limited pay-what-you-want tickets at the door. kelly-strayhorn.org
Sat., June 18
EVENT • IRL
The Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village will host its 25th annual Atlatl competition, focused on a spear-thrower used by prehistoric hunters. Beginners are invited to try their hand at the atlatl, and then watch some of the world’s top throwers compete for the high score. This annual event is held in partnership with the World Atlatl Association. Members of the Shawnee tribe will be in attendance to discuss prehistoric hunting techniques and demonstrate tool production. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 401 Meadowcroft Road, Avella. $7-15. heinzhistorycenter.org
ART • IRL
Undiscovered Gallery, a Wilkinsburg-based community event space for local artists, presents the opening for its latest group show Summer Hues. Curated by Nancy Howarth and Margot Dermody, the exhibition includes works by Howarth, Robert Bowden, Charlie Patterson, and William Pfahl, as well as Dermody, a mixed-media artist who works in acrylic, oil, fused glass, and glass and stone sculpture. See paintings, photographs, and other works ranging from landscapes to floral images. 5-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., June 19. 319 S. Trenton Ave., Wilkinsburg. Free. margotdermody.com
Mon., June 20
MUSIC • IRL
The Andy Warhol Museum continues its Sound Series with a performance by Fuji||||||||||ta, a Japanese noise artist known for working with original instruments. His artist bio describes his music as consisting of “water sounds from multiple aquariums” alongside a “pipe organ” made from 11 pipes and no keyboard, and his voice. Since 2006, Fuji||||||||||ta has embarked on solo performances and collaborations with other musicians and had work exhibited in the Sapporo International Art Festival 2017. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. $15-18. warhol.org
Tue., June 21
KIDS • IRL
Let the parks be your inspiration this summer when the Roving Art Cart returns with fun multi-media art projects. The event kicks off at Frick Park’s Big Blue Slide but will travel to a new CitiPark each week through early August. Paint, sculpt, and more while watching local entertainers. Activities are suited for children 5 to 12 and all children should be supervised by a caregiver. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Continues through Aug. 5. Beechwood Blvd. and Nicholson St., Squirrel Hill. Free. pittsburghpa.gov
Wed., June 22
MUSIC • IRL
Fans of the 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World will want to check out Mr. Smalls when the pop-rock band Anamanaguchi presents Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game Soundtrack: The Tour. The show has made its way through Europe and the United States and features digital tunes produced as the soundtrack for a video game originally released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $25, $30 at the door. mrsmalls.com/events/anamanaguchi
LIT • HYBRID
White Whale invites readers to experience new work by a Pittsburgh author during the launch of Power in the Tongue by Caitlyn Hunter. Described by Tolsun Books as mixing history with folktales, the hybrid memoir creates an “interior world infused with magic, tricksters, talking animals, chopped hair, red and blue flashing lights, Pittsburgh steel,” and “centers not Black pain, but Black perseverance spanning centuries.” The event will also include selections from Nicole Lourette and Cameron Barnett. 7-8:30 p.m. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. Free. RSVP required. Livestream available. whitewhalebookstore.com/events
MUSIC • IRL
Adult contemporary darling Ben Folds will bring his energetic piano melodies and irreverent lyrics to Heinz Hall for a performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. From his days with the rock trio, Ben Folds Five, to his solo career, the multi-instrumentalist has released a number of albums defined by soaring harmonies, jazzy rock, and narrative-driven songs. His work appeals to fans of pop and classical music, with his 2015 album So There even topping Billboard’s Classical Albums and Classical Crossover charts. 7:30 p.m. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-75. trustarts.org
